Ceiling lighting unit



March 5, 1935. A, 1, SWEET 1,992,973

CEILING LIGHTING UNIT Filed 007i. l, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l ff f, i.. y Wummmulllllmgllunn- 'J6 361/ l ll 36 l I i l" Il y. 9: M {hm-h'M/Ir//f//f/f/f/ /////////f,////// I.:

HW 1N III..

ATTORNEY March 5, 1935. A J SWEET 1,992,973

CEILING LIGHTING UNIT Filed Oct. l, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Imm. "IWLATTORNEY March 5,` 1935.A A, 1 SWEET 1,992,973

CEILING LIGHTING UNIT ATTORNE March 5, 1935.

A. J. SWEET 1,992,973

CEILING LIGHTING UNIT Filed OCT.. l, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4imim;mummvmulullu lso Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES CEILINGLIGHTING UNIT kArthur Y Sweet, West Caldwell, N. J., assignor toWestinghouse Lamp Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationOctober 1,

Y c f6 Claims.

This invention relates to artificial lighting and relates moreparticularly to xtures arranged to provide a ceiling or skylight type ofunit.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to provide rooms withvarious types oflighting fixtures and such fixtures have been inthe nature of overheadlighting units. i

It is an object of the present invention, Vhowever, to provide anoverhead unit which may be supported on the ceiling of a room in such amanner as to provide a sklight for artificial illumination.v n c Anotherobject ofthe invention is to provide a skylight type of unit ofvsimpleconstruction and convenient to install. u n Another object of theinvention is to provide a skylight unit for theV ceiling of a room inwhich the various component parts may-be quickly assembled and whereinmeans are lprovided to facilitate the operation of supporting thefixture. n A further object ,of the invention is to provide a supportingstructure for vceiling lighting whereby units of various constructionalforms may be conveniently and adequately supported. n

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting plate forv alighting source within a ceiling light unit whereby the light rsourcemay be quickly and conveniently secured in a given position within theunit. n

y Other objects and advantages of the invention will bemore clearlyunderstood from the followdescription together with the `accompanyingdrawings in which: t. v Y Figure 1 is a fragmentary View of laceilinglighting unit constructed in accordancewith the present invention, theView being taken from beneath the fixture and looking upwardly; Y,

Figure 2 is afragmentary cross-sectional View taken on line II-II ofFigure l, and shows the position of the light units with vrespect to thelight transmitting portions of the unit;

n FigureS is a view taken onlineIII-'III of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 isa perspective View cfa fixtureconstructed in accordance withthe present invenf tion showing a box-like or parallelogram formation;

Figure 5 is a detail perspective viewr'nshowing t a portionnof the framefor holding a glass plate turein position with respect to the supportingplate Y 1932, serial No. 635,758 (ol. 24o-7s) Figure 7 showsa front andedge viewzofa square frame for holding a glass plate; i Figure 8 shows afront and edge view of an oblong frame for holding the glass plate;

AFigure 9 shows front and edge views of la triangular frame for holdingaglass'plate; 4

Figure 10 is a perspective v iew showing the edges of two frames securedtogether; Y *i Figure 11 is a perspective View showing the edges orflanges of two frames secured together and having wedge members to hold.the frames in angular relation;

Figure"l2 is a perspective view of r insertion between the flanges ofthe frames;

Figure Y13 shows a perforated supporting lplate and a lamp socketattached thereto having means forsupporting a reiiector; Figure 14 is aperspective View of another design of ceiling fixture or skylight of asubstantially dome shape; and *n Figure 15 is a perspective View ofanother modified form of the skylight structure wherein the unitconstitutes a lborder lighting around the ceiling.

Y 'Ihe structure of the present invention insofar asrthe fabrication ofthe variousframework for holding the light transmitting plates isconcerned, follows the construction as setv forth in fa wedge for mycopending. application Serial No., 630,503 filed istermed thereinas covelightingfor the interior ,l

of a room and the. light transmitting wall was secured to the ceilingand side wall so that it bridged the corners giving an arcuatearrangement. z n

lThe present invention isdirected tothe provi sion of an overheadartificial-skylight and provides a structure wherein the various,elements of the skylight structure'may be quickly assembled andpositioned, and furthermore,V the struc:

ture` is so arranged that theassembly maybe quickly and convenientlyrearranged Vand the position of the light Vunits may also be changed andconveniently positioned to meet` thedesign of the unit.

As shown in Fig. 4, thepresvent"inventionpro.-

vides an overhead or ceiling unit 10 which may mar the ceiling and alsomakes it Yimpractical to change or otherwise substitute one form oflight unit for another.

In accordance with the present invention, NI provide wha't may betermeda universal over-J head support in the form-ofiaperforated plate14, (see Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 13). The plate 14 may be secured to theceiling byVl means of tapfor expansion bolts l5. These bolts maybesecured to the ceiling in accordance with the practice ofsecuringweighted bodies to' plaster or similar walls.` By reason of Vtheuniversalp'late, however, only` aminimuni amount ofV supporting boltsare necessary and Ywhen the'plate is once secured tothe ceiling, varioustypesof fixtures may be heldin position without furtherl connection withthe actual ceilingof a room and one orv morev light giving velements maybe secured inl various positions in the fixture.

y In accordance with the present invention, the plate 14 isV providedwith perforations 16 which perforations are sufficient in number toYprovide apertures to receive bolts 17. The bolts 17 Vmay extenddownwardly and through a channel bar 18 extending inwardly from andsecured to a side-wall 19-of a unit. The channel bar may be rivetedorotherwise secured to a top flange 21 of what maybe termed ay carrierframe 22. The carrier frames 22 iare provided with side flanges 23 andare positioned end to end andA secured by rivets 24 (see Fig. 6),constituting the side walls 19 or skeleton structure.

The carrier frames 2,2 are, as shown, positioned with their borderY orlateral flangesextending outwardly and thus each frame is in the natureofpa receptacle to receive a frame 25 consisting of: aflange 26 andVsurrounding border-jor lateral flanges'27.- The frame 25 isrelativelymnarrow and thus provides an opening 27 so that a lighttransmitting element, as for example a glass plate 28, when positionedin the frame, as shown more clearly in Fig. y6,'will be held by theVedges of the frame but light will be permitted to pass through byreasonof vthe opening" 27.- The Aframe -25 whichl maybe termed a plateretaineris so constructedas to tightlyt the inner l surfaces of theYlateral flanges of thexed frame 22. Thus when the frames 22 areconnectedVto provide aiskeleton structure, the retainer frames 25 with the platespositioned therein-maybe-forced into position in the frames 22V andtheplate transmitting frames will thus be retained. f Y

It has been found that by constructing the retainer frames with suitable'outside dimensions that these frames lwhen forced into positionpby astraight thrust; that is, by keepingv the frames 25 and 22 parallel, thefrictionalfengagement is suilicient to hold the retainer'vfr'ames i'nposition. With this construction it will be evident that any tendency ofthe retainer frameto tip out holds it tighter and that in ordertoiremove the same itlniustbepulled out in a straight line or withvtheframe portions of these elementsr in parallelfrelation. reasonof thisconstruction it is possible to conveniently remove a frame and changethe glass plate whereas the retainer frame plate when once positionedcannot become accidentally dislodged.

For the purpose of holding bottom light transmitting plates 34, frames35 .are provided. These frames are similar to the frames 22 abovedescribed and each is provided with 4flanges 36. As shown more clearlyin Fig. 1 eachof the four sides of the construction shown is providedwith an angular member 38Vand the lower frames are secured to thesemembers by means of rivets 36 passingV through anges 36 and the anges ofthe angular members 35 in contact with the flanges 36. The side carrierframes 22 rest on the flanges 3970i the angular members and these partsare secured by rivets 4l. The flanges of adjacent carrier frames 22 maybe secured by rivets extending through their side adjacent flanges andthe same is true of the frames which constitute .the bottom` Wall of theV,unitrwhich latter frames are secured, together by rivetsk 36',l asshown in Figs. 2, 10 Yand v11,V

For the purpose of enclosing and. giving a ,symmetricalv appearance tothe upper .edgeA of the Vunita cover or casing; 42 is provided." Thiscover may be' of' relatively light weightjmetal and isheld in place by atap bolt"43"t hreadedly engaged 'witha lug 44 extending from and securedby rivet 45 tothe plate 14. It will be evident that vit Ais'important ina fixture of the present make to provide means for conveniently andexpeditiously supporting the light units such as electricincandescentlarnps in proper position with relation to the lighttransmitting walls of the unit.

In the present construction, by reason of the perforatedsupporting plate14', sockets 46 for supporting lamp 47 may -be 'conveniently and quicklysecured by means of bolts 48 to the plate 14. By reason of the numerousperforations and their arrangement .with respect tocenterS, a socket maybe secured vin one of a great number of different positions. In theconstruction shown in Fig. 2, the socket is -provided with a screwcollar 49 of insulative materialvand a reflector 51 is clampedbetWeen-the-collar and the body 52 of-the base.

By this arrangementgthe reflectors may be readily applied or removed'asdesired. The reflector mayextend inthe form of a plate Yabove thelighting elementsjandmaybe --provided with a seriesfof knock-outVportions 51""sothat the apertures may be provided at different-placestoreceive the sockets 46.- IfL desirable a decorative molding or-lletmaybe provided along the edge of the unit. y Y

Although structures; s hown i'n Figs. 4-and' 15, are provided withplanarywalls, it may be desirableto make a structure shown-inl Fig. 14wherein the Yvarious plates rwhich constitute `the v bottom wall'andYthe plates constituting the side walls are disposed in angularrelation.I For this purpose, wedge members 54, as shown in'Figs. 11`and12, -may be `interposedibetween the side flanges 23l of the carrierframes 22 Vso that when the frames are riveted together, by rivets 36',

the flanges 3*5 will be disposed in the properfanpacked in a verycompact form for shipment to the particular room in which it is to beinstalled. The workmen then position the various bolts V1'7 in the plate14 and secure the sockets 46 thereto in the designated positions afterwhich the plate 14 is secured to the ceiling by the bolts 15. 'Ihethreaded lugs 44 for supporting the casing 42 may be secured to theplate 14 at the factory or may be riveted thereto on the job. The lighttransmitting unit may then be assembled by riveting the various'carrierframes together to provide a skeleton structure the side walls 19 ofwhich receive the retainer frames 25. The light transmitting plates 34are held by gravity in the frames 35. The skeleton frame may'then besecured in position by means ofthe bolts 17 and the retainer frames withthe light transmitting plates therein may be forced into theirrespective positions to complete the light-transmitting walls.

It will be appreciated that although a sky-light unit constructed inaccordance with the present invention has all the appearance of beingapart of the architecture of the room, it is, in fact, readily removableand may be changed from a rectangular or square design type of unit to amore ornamental or polygonal sided design.

The invention, therefore, is of relatively great importance in providingan effective ornamental lighting unit which at the same time may beinstalled at relatively low cost with respect to the structure, retainerframes for light transmittingV plates, said retainer frames havingflanges arranged to frictionally engage the flanges of said firstmentioned frames and plates loosely retained between said frames.

2. A lighting unit comprising a plurality of frames having fianges,means for securing flanges of adjacent frames together to provide askeleton structure, retainer frames for light transmitting plates, saidretainer frames having flanges arranged to frictionally engage the innersurfaces of the flanges of said first mentioned frames.

3. A lighting unit comprising a plurality of carsaid frames havinglaterally extending peripheral anges, a removable retainer framefrictionally engaging said anges to removably retain a plate with itsedges between said retainer plate and said carrier frame and means forconnecting the flanges of said carrier frames in adjacent relation toform a light transmitting partition.

4. A lighting unit comprising a structure composed of carrier frames forlight transmitting plates, each of said frames comprising strips bent toform angle members having one flange to receive a plate and a removableplate retainer member formed from strips bent to form angle members andproportional so that the peripheral fianges thereof frictionally engagethe inner faces of the peripheral fianges of a carrier memrier framesfor light transmitting plates, each of ber to removably retain a platein saidkcarrier ceive a plate and a removable plate retainer memberformed from strips bent to form angle-members and proportioned so thatthe peripheral flanges thereof frictionally engage the inner faces ofthe peripheral flanges of a carrier member to removably retain a platein said carrier frame, and means for securing the peripheral flanges ofsaid carrier frames together to provide a light transmitting partition.

6. A structure for holding light transmitting plates comprising aplurality `of frames having peripheral anges, means for connecting theflanges of adjacent frames together to provide an enclosure having abottom wall and side walls consisting of a plurality of frames toreceive plates, retainer'frames for loosely holding said plates in saidfirst mentioned frames, means for securing the edges of said side wallsadjacent to the wall of a room and means for supporting a light sourceWithin said enclosure.

ARTHUR J. SWEET.

